The Augusta Commission met in special session and approved several administrative and budget-related items, most notably an extension of an access and exclusivity agreement for the depot development site, acceptance of a $9,000 private donation for Magnolia Cemetery, and new employee health-plan contribution rates that include a hospital-only deductible of $500 per individual ($1,500 family).

Why it matters: The actions move a long-stalled depot redevelopment forward, shift part of health-care costs onto employees under a phased approach, and direct privately donated funds to a local cemetery repair project. Taken together they affect near‑term development timelines, personnel costs and a community preservation project.

Most significant actions
- Extension of depot access/exclusivity agreement: The commission authorized the mayor and clerk to execute an agreement extending the access and exclusivity agreement between the Development Authority of Augusta, Georgia and a potential developer for the depot site through Dec. 12, 2025. Attorney Plunkett announced the request after executive session; Commissioner Don Clark moved the authorization and the motion was approved (recorded in the meeting as unanimous).

- Employee health plan: After staff and consultant presentations, the commission adopted new employee premium schedules (tiered by salary bands) and approved a hospital-only deductible of $500 per individual ($1,500 family) for the 2026 plan year. The commission voted to adopt the recommended premium increases and the $500/$1,500 hospital deductible in order to hold open-enrollment timelines; staff said they will continue a fuller review with the city’s benefits consultant and present further options in the coming months.

- Acceptance of $9,000 donation for Magnolia Cemetery: The commission accepted a $9,000 check donated by the local group I Love Augusta to help build a wall at Magnolia Cemetery. Donor Moses Todd said the funds are a “jump start” and that the group will return monies if FEMA funds or a city memorandum of understanding later cover the project.

- Consent agenda and land-use votes: The commission approved a broad consent agenda that included multiple planning and zoning petitions. Notable recorded outcomes included approval of a rezoning affecting property at 400 Warren Road (a single‑family subdivision) on a 9–1 vote (Mayor Pro Tem Wayne Guilfoyle cast the lone no vote; one commissioner was absent). A separate petition for a planned unit development at 2384 Gordon Highway also received the commission’s concurrence after local planning commission approval.

What the votes do and what comes next
- Depot-site extension buys the development authority and its prospective partner more time to finalize terms and progress design or financing, but does not itself authorize construction.
- The health-plan change moves the city toward greater employee cost‑sharing while staff and the city’s consultant continue a broader review of plan design to present options early next year.
- Acceptance of the Magnolia donation authorizes the city to receive the money and pursue procurement and any required memorandums; donors requested the gift be returned if FEMA or other funds later cover construction.

Quotes
"We will request a motion to authorize the mayor and clerk to execute an agreement to extend the access and exclusivity agreement ... until 12/12/2025," Attorney Plunkett said after the executive session.

"This is a community issue," donor Moses Todd said when presenting the Magnolia donation and a draft memorandum of understanding.

Among next steps staff cited were procurement for the cemetery wall, continued benefit-plan work with the city’s consultant and follow‑up permitting and financing work on the depot site.

Ending
The commission completed the principal votes on the agenda, with additional items and some contested petitions to be revisited at future meetings or follow-up sessions as staff and community members continue negotiations and required administrative steps.